Congrats from all at Oldham RLFC to young Saints trio

JOE Warburton, who is playing an increasingly important role in the key local moves to promote and push the RFL's Pathway programme for both boys and girls, would like it to be known that Oldham RLFC is hoping to launch an under-18s team sooner rather than later.

Players and coaches who would like to be involved are asked to contact Joe on 07882848340 to express their interest, to find out more, and to be logged.

"We are looking for players who are in school years 12 and 13," said Joe, who is doubling up now as Oldham RLFC's "go to" man for anything to do with Pathway, boys AND girls, given that Beth Sutcliffe, our head of women and girls, is currently on maternity leave.

Way back last April she was to the fore in Oldham's acquisition of a £15,000 Sport England grant for the development of female rugby league in the Oldham area and since then Oldham have had major talks with Helen Grafton at Saddleworth Rangers and Andy Pearson at Waterhead, both of whom run girls' teams already on behalf of the clubs concerned.

The Rangers girls train between 9.30am and 10.30am each Saturday at Churchill Playing Fields and the Waterhead girls train at Waterhead Park, Peach Road, Waterhead each Wednesday evening between 6pm and 7pm .

If you wish to have a go, and thus put yourself in the frame for a possible appearance in a curtain-raiser at Boundary Park next Saturday, October 19, please contact Helen on 07946 039833 or Andy on 07949 387784,

Failing all else please ring Joe Warburton on 07882 848340 relative to women's and girls' rugby league .

You can always turn up at Churchill and/or Waterhead Park for training and just introduce yourself but we would recommend a phone call first.

The game at Boundary Park next Saturday, October 19, is a curtain-raiser to a top women's game featuring the best girls/women in Lancashire v Yorkshire, which in itself a trial match for the England team.

Might I suggest that to play on that sort of stage (even in a curtain-raiser) could attract all sorts of interest, given that top officials will be there for the first-class Roses match to follow.

So if you fancy a crack at rugby league, girls, now is your chance, Just ring Joe and he'll point you in the right d

Meanwhile, he sends his own personal congratulations — and those of the entire Oldham club -- to the three St Anne's boys who have signed academy forms for Super League clubs in Yorkshire.

Eugene Timubu has signed for Huddersfield Giants; Sam Johnson has gone to Leeds Rhinos; Harry Knight has signed for Wakefield.

Said Joe: "Eugene and Harry have played for our Pathway teams for the past two years . Sam is relatively new to the game, having joined us from Rugby Union only recently, but he made his Oldham debut at Halifax earlier this season and that's where Leeds spotted him.

"One hopes that in the not too distant future the Pathway for Oldham boys into the pro game will lead them to Oldham, but we are not ready for that just yet, but it is still a big plus for us to know that our Pathway is working well; that we are promoting it, and that we are producing players.

"Stephen Leyland, their under-16 coach at St Anne's, is also a Pathway coach at Oldham, so that's another sure sign that all is going well on the Pathway front."

Three teams took to the field at Mayfield when we played host to Wigan. We couldn't play at Melrose because of ongoing work there, so thanks to Mayfield for helping us out. We had players there from St Anne's, Saddleworth, Limehurst, Mayfield, Waterhead and even Shawcross in Dewsbury.

Said Joe: "There was clearly some talent there,"

Our next challenge in this age group, under-14s and under-15s, is against Warrington on October 26, but the time has still to be confirmed.

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